Picker-check for looms



J. F. BRAIS.

BICKER QHECK FOR LOOMS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, 1920.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

a z]os/i 751mb UNITED STATES JOSEPH I; BRAIS, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

. PICKER-CHEGK FOB LOOKS Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

I Application flied July 22, 1920. Serial No. 398,187.

To all :whom it maycoacewa Be It known that I, JOSEPH Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Picker-Checks for Looms, of which the following isa specification. r

This invention relates to picker checks for looms employed to alternately 'support'the opposite picker sticks in receiving the impact of a flying shuttle, and the object of this invention. Is to provide such a device in the form of a cylinder carried bythe lay and having a piston movably mounted therein, the same having a connection to the opposite picker sticks to support them in receivingthe impact of the shuttle and permitting them to recede slowly and finally cometo rest atithe very end of the stroke of the shuttle in position to be automatically refilled when necessary, and to also be in position to receive the next full throw of the picker stick.

A further object of the invention is to position the cushioning cylinder between the picker sticks and connect the same to both sticks whereby the impact of the shuttle moving in one direction sets the stick-controlling means at the opposite end of the lay to receive and check the shuttle when returned. '1'

The nature andadvantages of the invention will be better understood when the following detail description is taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the invention residing in the combination and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views and wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the lay partly in section and showing my improved cushioning device applied thereto and connected to the picker sticks at the opposite ends thereof.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the cushioning cylinder, showing the piston mounted therein-and the controlling end valves.

Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. v

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the adjustable connection to the piston rod, showing the means whereby the member is attached't ereto.

F. EinATs, a l citizen of the United States, residing at icker stick connector Fig. 5 is a detail showing the outer end of the connector member shaped to engage the back of the-picker stick.

With reference to the drawings, 10 desi nates the lay across which the shuttle 11 is thrown in opposite directions with great force by action of the picker sticks 12, which latter are mounted at opposite ends thereof.

When the shuttle is thrown violently across the lay, unless it is stopped gradually, its lmpact causes a rebound which is, in some cases, detrimental to the action of the loom, particularly in an automatic shuttle-filling loom where the shuttle must be brought to rest in exactly the right position to receive the filling; then again it is also found that unless the shuttle is brought to rest at the extreme end of its stroke and without rebound to lie against the picker stick, the next throwing action of the picker does not exert its full propelling effect.

In some instances springs have been used for this purpose but when so used the re coil has a tendency to displace the shuttle and not permit it to rest at the extreme end of its stroke.

To obviate these difficulties I have provided an air-cushioning device which assists the picker sticks to receive the impactof the shuttle and under its force rec'ede graduwith a central opening into which is screwed a valve-carrying frame 16, the inner end of which is provided with an annular opening beveled at l7- to form a seat for the outer valve 18, which outer valve is provided with a plurality of openings 19 therethrough and is normally pressed to its seat by means of the coiled spring 20, one end 21 of which engages the frame, while the opposite end 22 engages the collar 23 which is adjustably connected to the tube 24. This tube is slidably mounted in the bearing 25 in the frame 16 and its inner end is forced under action of the spring 20 against the valve 18 to normally hold it to its seat.

In order to normally close the holes 19 in the outer valve, I have provided an inner =valve 26 which is seated against the inner face of said outer valve. This inner valve is provided with a stem 27 through which the valve is normally held to its seat under action of the tension spring '28.

Slidably mounted in this c linder 13 is a double acting piston 29 to t 1e middle of which I have connected -a radially-extending bearing member 30 which projects out through the slot 31 in the wall of the cylinder and in this bearing member is fixed the connecting rod 32 which also has bearings in the walls of the heads 14.

On the opposite ends of this connecting" rod 32 I have mounted adjustable head members 33, see Fig. 4, each of which is provided with an ear 34 to which the connector wires 35 are attached. These connector wires are arranged to extend along beneath the lay and the end of each is provided with a hook-shaped portion 36 extending around back of each of the picker sticks 12 and each is provided with a buffer member 37.

The length of these connector wires is such that when the shuttle is at one end of its stroke one of its wires is long enough to permit its picker stick to move to its extreme outward stroke and the opposite end of the opposite connector is a given distance forward of the end of its stroke, and in position to engage the picket stick when the shuttle is thrown back and control its movement back to the extreme outer end of its stroke. In other words, the movement'of the piston under action of the shuttle serves to cushion one picker stick and this movemenet also serves to position its mechanism to receive the impact of the shuttle when tgrown in the opposite direction backacross t e lay.

The cylinder heads 1 1 are preferably provided with ears 38 through which the cylinthe outer valve 18 to. lift slightly and so control the pressure in the cylinder caused by the impact of the flying shuttle against I the picker stick, to ease the picker stick to its extreme out position and permit the shuttle to stop and remain at rest in position.-

When the piston under action of the shut-- tle moves in the opposite direction the effect on the valves above described is as fol- .lows :The outer valve on the left is caused to open when sufiicient pressure has 'been created in the cylinder while the inner valve at the right throu h the vacuum formed is caused to open to a low air to enter through the ports 19.

In order to control the amount of compression which shall be formed in the cylinder by the movement of the piston therein, it is only necessary to adjust the collar 23 lon itudmallyon the tube 24. he device is very practical in its construction and by its use 'a single cylinder and piston are caused to control the cushioning'action alternately atboth ends of the Ihe foregoing description is directed solel toward the construction illustrated, but desire it to be understood that I reserve the'privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susce ti ble, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

1. In a picker check for looms, the combination with the lay and picker sticks a said piston is caused to yieldingly support said sticks to alternately receive the impact of the flying shuttle and guide each to rest at the end of its stroke, and a valve in said cylinder for controlling the movement of said iston.

3. n a picker check for looms, the combination with the lay and a pair of picker sticks, of a cylinder carried by the lay and havinga piston slidably mounted therein, a connection whereby said piston is caused to alternately cushion the impact of the shuttle upon said sticks, and a valvein said cylinder for controlling the movement of the piston therein.

4. In a picker check for looms, the combination with the lay and a pair of picker sticks, of a cylinder carried by the lay and having a piston slidably mounted therein, a connection whereby said piston is caused to alternately cushion the impact of the shuttle I upon said sticks, an inlet valve in said cylinder opened by the receding movement of said piston therein, and a s ring controlled outlet valve for regulating the rate of move ment of said valve under the shuttle impact.

5. In a picker check for looms, the combination with a lay and picker sticks at each ton in said cylinder connected to alternately support said sticks in receiving the impact of the shuttle, and a pair of double-acting puppet valves at each end of the cylinder, one of each pair to control the inflow at the receding end of the piston while the other at the advancing end of the piston controls the compression formed-in that end of the cylinder.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOSEPH F. BRAIS. 

